APPENDIX
A – SEMS / ICS PRINCIPLES
According to California Government
Code Section 8607 SEMS shall be used
by all State Agencies with responding
to any of the following emergency operations:
- Single jurisdictional/agency involvement
- Single jurisdictional responsibility
with multiple agency involvement
- Multiple
jurisdictional responsibility with
multiple agency involvement
The Standardized Emergency Management
System/Incident Command System provides
an efficient tool for the management
of emergency operations. SEMS / ICS is
designed to be adaptable to any emergency
or incident. The system expands in a
rapid and logical manner from an initial
response to a major incident call-out.
When organizational need dictate, the
system also contracts just as rapidly.
Components of SEMS / ICS
SEMS / ICS is built
upon basic components of organization,
terminology, and procedures. These components
are designed to provide: common terminology,
modular
organization, a Unified Command structure, consolidated
action plans, a manageable span-of-control, and
Multi-agency or Inter-agency Coordination.
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Common
terminology
SEMS / ICS is based on the use of
commonly
accepted terminology that clearly
describes needs and expectations between response
agencies. This terminology is based
on the established and accepted common
names for emergency response equipment,
organizational units, functions,
resources,
and facilities.
Modular organization
A SEMS / ICS response organization
is based on the type and size of the incident.
Modular organization allows for the
addition and reduction of positions
based on current and future needs.
All SEMS / ICS organizations build
from the top down as the incident grows. SEMS / ICS is made up of five functions:
Management; Operations; Planning; Logistics;
and Finance. These functions may, as
the incident grows, be organized and
staffed into Sections. Initially, the
Director of Emergency Services may be
performing all five functions. Then,
as the incident grows, each function
may be established as a Section with
several Units under each Section. Only
those functional elements that are required
to meet current objectives will be activated.
Those functions which are needed but
not staffed will be the responsibility
of the next higher element in the organization.
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Unified Command
Unified Command structure is a unified
team effort which allows all agencies
with responsibility for the incident,
either geographical or functional,
to manage an incident by establishing
a common set of incident objectives
and strategies. This is accomplished
without losing or abdicating agency
authority, autonomy, responsibility
or accountability.
Consolidated Action Plans
Consolidated
Action Plans identify objectives and
strategy determinations made by
the Director of Emergency Services
for the incident based upon the requirements
of the affected jurisdiction. The
consolidated Action Plan documents the
tactical
and support activities that will
be implemented during an operational
period.
Manageable
Span-of-Control
Manageable Span-of-Control
within SEMS / ICS
is a limitation on the number of emergency
response personnel who can effectively
be supervised or directed by an individual
supervisor. The position title Section "Chief" refers
to the lead person of each organizational
element in the EOC. The type of incident,
the nature of the response or task,
distance, and safety will influence
the span?of?control range. Each activated
function will have a person in charge
of it. Every individual will have a
supervisor and each supervisor should
be responsible for no more than seven
employees, with the ideal span-of-control
being three to five persons. Multi-Agency
or Inter-Agency Coordination
Multi-agency
or inter-agency coordination facilitates
the sharing of information between agencies.
Coordination between agencies allows
for the development of
strategies that represent the needs of all involved
agencies. It also establishes a means of setting
priorities and allocating resources in accordance
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